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| (Image Source: Adobo Magazine/Sony Music Philippines/The Itchyworms) |
Continuing to celebrate its 25th year anniversary in the Philippine music scene, The Itchyworms released its new single "Eto Na (Ang Maliligayang Araw)" now out on all digital music platforms worldwide as well as a six-part series podcast entitled "Worms Upon A Time: An Itchyworms Podcast" which is available on Spotify. The year-long musical treat follows the success of Waiting For The End To Start, which was pressed on vinyl and immediately sold out upon its release, and the launch of the first Filipino-made stop motion animation music video "The Life I Know" which garnered critical acclaim across the board.
Returning to their brand of melodic pop-rock sensibilities with sharp hooks, bluesy guitar lines and timeless lyrics, the multi-awarded Filipino band has dropped a call-to-response anthem about hurdling through the difficult times with a more hopeful mindset in life. According to drummer and lead vocalist Jazz Nicolas, the song documents the feeling of being stuck in a challenging phase for a long period of time while hoping that everything will be fine. He emphasized, “You’re not quite there yet, but you feel that things are moving up a bit. Kel and I call this the dark ages; it’s when all areas of your life seemed very bleak, and you always feel like there’s no way out. In this song, you’re not out yet, but you have a feeling that you will be.” Even before the pandemic, The Itchyworms has always wanted to produce a jam song that would make for a strong album opener. Most of their newer tracks gravitate towards the uncertainty of the future or long-simmering anxiety brought by the lockdown. "Eto Na (Ang Maliligayang Araw)", however, confronts the situation that we're in with the healing power of a catchy, upbeat guitar pop-tune and is a perfect fit for what the 25th anniversary celebration should be - a commitment to represent the band's music and the history held within it.
When the lockdown slightly eased, the band regrouped into the legendary Big Baby Studios where some of the alternative rock quartet's most notable hits are made. Lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Jugs Jugueta shares in a statement, “Big Baby was always home to The Itchyworms, especially to Jazz, because this was his father’s original studio in their ancestral home. I remember recording the first few demos of The Itchyworms there. I also remember Tito Sonny showing us all of his guitars, and Chino and I were just in awe. Now, it has come full circle: Jazz and Peavey and the worms continue Tito Sonny’s legacy, and the fact that we recorded our 25th Anniversary single there means so much to us.” The Itchyworms reworked an early version of the song by adding lyrics that pay homage to their story together as a group and even referenced some of their previous songs in the material. Mixed and mastered by Jazz's brother Peavy Nicolas, "Eto Na (Ang Malilgayang Araw)" finds the band experimenting with a Moog Little Phatty analog synth and a Yamaha Reface YC, bringing a unique twist on their classic sound. The band's guitarist Chino Singson adds, “We all recorded our instruments live in the studio. and all four of us sang on it. Plus the outro or coda is totally unrelated to the tonal center of the song, but it adds a Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour vibe.”
To celebrate the release of its 25th anniversary single, The Itchyworms and Sony Music Philippines coproduced and launched "Worms Upon A Time: The Itchyworms Podcast", a six-part series that explores the long-lasting appeal and impact of the band's albums in its 25 years of existence. The show leverages Spotify's new Music + Talk format which brings together music tracks and spoken commentary and wrap them into one immersively interactive listening experience. Jugueta reveals and explains, “I guess this is our version of the Beatles’ Anthology series. Because that was the Beatles’ story as told by the Beatles. This show is our story, our history, our legacy as told by The Itchyworms ourselves. Look forward to stories that have never been shared before! This project is very close to our hearts, and we would like to thank Sony Music Philippines for producing it and to Wincy Ong for directing it and to Peavey Nicolas for recording and mixing it.” The Itchyworms are also set to release a mockumentary that chronicles its 25 years in the local music industry and a music video of its self-titled track "Waiting For The End To Start" whose visual narrative serves as an artistic take on a 'dystopian post-pandemic future" in the Philippines.
